Combined drying



June 10, 1930. GABBE 1,763,462

COMBINED DRYING, DRUMMING, CLEANING, CAGING, AND FINISHING FUR MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO WITNESSES Herman fiab 6 H. GABBE June 10, 1930.

Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [16 mm)? Gabbc WITNESSES BY 2 7g ATTORNEY June 10, 1930. H. GABBE 1,763,462

COMBINED DRYING, DRUMMING, CLEANING, CAG'ING, AND FINISHING FUR MACHINE Filed Aqg. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WITNE E l/nwz an Gabbr ATTORNEY June 10, 1930. GABBE 1,763,462

COMBINED DRYING DRUMMING, CLEANING, CAGING, AND FINISHING FUR MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I [I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA III M46146; 5%

INVENTOR f/c rm an Gabb ATTORNEY WITNESSES H. GABBE June 10, 1930.

COIIBINED DRYING, DRUNMING, CLEANING, CAGING, AND FINISHING FUR MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR glfirman fiabbe ATTORNEY WITNESSES Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE HERMAN GABBE, OI BROOKLYN, NEW YORK Application filed August 18 1928. Serial No. 300,568.

'6 pelts for commercial purposes, it has been the practice to first place the pelts in a drier for the purpose of drying the pelts. The pelts are then subjected to a drumming action in a separate machine in which sawdust is used, for the purpose of cleaning the pelts, absorbing any remaining moisture therein, and also for removing flesh, if any, from the skins. The pelts are then subjected to a caging action in a separate machine, for the purpose of separating the sawdust from the pelts. This practice involves considerable time and labor, due to the fact that it requires several handlings of the pelts, and therefore adds materially to the cost to produce fur-skins or pelts for the market.

It is therefore the principal object to overcome the disadvantages mentioned, b providing a machine or apparatus capa le of effectually performing all of the necessary steps to condition fur-skins or pelts for commercial purposes, and incidentally accomplish this with comparative economy as to time, labor and expense.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination, construction and operation of the parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2, is an end elevation.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged sectional view illustrating certain details of construction, the section being taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6, is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 7' and 8 respectively are end and side elevations of a multiple arrangement of similar machines.

In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive .there has been illustrated a machine embodying features of the invention, which machine may be used as a single unit, or two or more of which may be used in a multiple arrangement. machine includes a drum 10 consistin of a cylindrical shell 11 and substantially similar end sections 12 respectively connected with the opposite open ends of the shell 11 to provide a closed chamber.- Each end section 12 is provided with a laterally extending annular flange 13 with which the related end of the shell 11 is rigidl connected in any suitable manner such as y the use of rivets. Each of said end sections 12 is also provided with a plurality of lugs 14 spaced equidistantly. The said lugs 14 serve for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The drum 10 is mounted for rotatory movement, and this is accomplished by the provision of stationary pedestals 15 and 16. The edestal 15 is provided with a bearing 17 o hollow construction which receives a hollow trunnion 18 one end of which is riveted or otherwise secured as at 19 to a boss 20 on the related end section 12 of the drum. An annular plate 21 surrounds the trunnion 18 and is attached as at 23 to one end of the bearing 17. An annular wear plate 22 is arranged on the trunnion 18 between the plate 21 and the end of the boss 20. A stufiing box gland 24 is bolted as at 25 to the bearing 17, there being an annular groove 26 in the gland 24 which receives a similarly shaped boss 27 on the bearing 17 for the purpose of producing an airtight joint. The outer end of the trunnion 18 is rotatable in the gland 24. The pedestal 16 is provided ,with a bearing 28 in which a shaft 29 rotates, the said shaft 29 being connected fast to the other end section 12 of the drum. Power is applied to the shaft 29 for the purpose of rotating the drum 10.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the shell 11 is provided with openings 30 which are of similar size, and are spaced equidistantly circumferentially of the shell 11. Each of the openings 11 is controlled by an arcuate door 31 which conforms to the contour of the shell 11. Each of the The doors 31 is suficiently large to completely close its opening 30, and is somewhat smaller in area than the area of the adjacent intervenin portion of the shell 11 over the outside of which the door 31 moves. Each of the doors 31 is mounted for sliding movement and this is accomplished by the provision of circular guide members or rings 32 respectively arranged exteriorly of the opposite ends of the drum 10, said rings being fastened in any suitable manner respectively to the flanges 13 of the end sections 12. It will be apparent that the rings 32 serve with the flanges 13 and shell 11 to present guideways 33 in which the o posite side edges of t e doors 31 move. T e opposite side edges of each door 31 are built up by the provislon of strips 34 fastened to the edges, said strips 34 giving rigidity to each door and making a r0 er sliding fit in the'related guideway 33. l lac door 31 has a stop 35 on the inside of one end thereof which is enga eable with the shell to limit the movement 0 the door 31 in one direction.

In order to effect the sliding movement of the doors 31 simultaneously to opened and closed positions there is provided mechanism presently to be described. Each of the end sections 12 carries a series of rollers 36, each of which rotates on a shaft 37 having one end disposed in ahole in one of the lugs 14, and the opposite end journaled in a hole in the adjacent portion of the end section 12. A ring 38 is rotatable on each set of rollers 36. The ring 38 is L-shaped in cross section and therefore presents flanges 39 and 40. The flange 39 rolls in contact with its related rollers 36. Two stra s 41 are employed in conjunction with eacli of the doors 31, the said straps being fastened as at 42 to the opposite ends of the door transversely thereof. The

opposite ends of each strap 41 respectively are fastened to the flanges of the rings 38 by a rivet or like fastening element 43. An arcuate toothed rack 44 is riveted as at 45 to the flange 39 of each of the rings 38. A suitable device 46 is employed to impart movement to the racks 44. The said device 46 is designed and adapted to impart movement to the racks 44 for the purpose of opening and closing the doors 31, when the drum 10 is at a standstill, and is shiftable to a position so as to allow the drum 10 to rotate. without interfering with the same. The said device 46' in the present instance comprises a shaft 47 having fast thereon pinions 48 which respectively mesh with the teeth of the racks 44, and a hand wheel 49 fast on one end of the shaft 47. The said shaft is supported for rotation by bearings 50 respectively arranged on brackets 51, respectively secured to the pedestals 15 and 16. The

shaft 47 has collars 52 and 53, the former being engageable with the related bearing 50 for the purpose of limiting the sliding movepose of limiting the sliding movement of the shaft 47 to a position in which the pinions 48 will be out of mesh. It will now be understood that by manipulating the hand wheel 49, after the drum 10 is brought to a standstill in the proper position to bring the racks 44 above the device 46 with the lower ends of the racks 44 disposed so as to be engaged by the pinions 48, the doors 31 may be moved simultaneously to the opened or closed positions, through the intervention of the rings 38 and the straps 41. It will also be apparent that the device 46 may be shifted to the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, in which it will not interfere with the rotation of the drum 10.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, one of the doors 31 is provided with an opening 54 which is controlled by a door 55. The opposite side edges of the door 55 are disposed respectively in ides 56 secured to the related door 31, and in t is manner the door 55 is mounted for sliding movement to opened and closed positions. The door 55 is rovided with handles 57 for this purpose. ne end of the door 55 engages a stop 58 arranged transversely of the related door 31 to limit the movement of the door 55 in one direction. A stop 59 secured on the inside of the door 55 at the end thereof having the stop 58 is engageable with the related door 31 for the purpose of limiting the movement of the door 55 to its fully opened position.

In accordance with another feature of the invention there is provided a screen consisting of separate arcuate sections 60. Each of the sections 60 consists of frames 61 and a piece of foraminous or like material 62 to the marginal portions of which the frames 61 are fastened by fastening elements 63, said frames being on opposite sides of said marginal portions. The screen sections 60 are of the same size and are secured to laterally inwardly extending circular portions 64 respectively on the end sections 12, by the use of suitable fastening elements such as screw bolts 65. The opposite ends of the screen sections 60 abut each other, and form a continuous annular screen. The said screen sections 60 as arranged and fastened to the circular portions 64 form a cage, and also provide an annular space 66 around the cage within the drum 10. The screen section 60 adjacent the door 55 is provided with a removable door 67 which controls an opening 68 in the related screen section. A rabbeted frame 69 surrounds the opening 68. The door 67 consists of a frame 7 O and a piece of foraminous or like material 71 secured along its marginal portions to the frame 70. The

frame 70 is so constructed as to fit in the frame 69. The frame 70 is provided with handles 72 for lacing the doors 67 in the opening 68 and or removing the same therefrom. The door 67 is releasably held in place by suitable latches or like means 7 3 carried by the frame 69. It will now be apparent that by moving the door 55 to the opened position, that it is possible to remove the door 67 by releasing the latches 7 3 to afford I access to the interior of the compartment 74,

for the purpose of introducing the fur-skins or elts, and the sawdust or like granular materlal used in cleaning the pelts.

The pelts are first subjected to a drying action, and this is accomplished by directing a blast of hot air into the drum 10 after the pelts have been placed into the compartment 74. The hot air enters the drum 10 through the hollow trunnion 18 and a conduit one end of which is connected with the gland 24, to which the hot air is fed by any preferred type of apparatus for that purpose which will include air heating means and a fan. The pelts are subjected to the drying action of the heated air, while the drum 10 is in motion with all of the doors 31 in closed positions, while the door 55 is left partly open so that the heated air may properly circulate. It will therefore be understood that while the pelts are being subjected to the drying action of the heated air, they are being tumbled around on the inside of the cage define-d by the screen and end sections 12. The pelts are then subjected to a cleaning action in which use is made of granular absorbing material, such as sawdust which is placed into the compartment 7 4 through the openings 54 and 68, it being understood that the drum is first brought to a standstill, and the door 55is moved to the open position, and that the door 67 is removed. In order to prevent any of the sawdust from passing out of the drum through the hollow trunnion 18 there is provided a closure member 76. The member 76 is associated with the end section 12 having hand wheel 79. The hub of the hand wheel screen being held in place in any suitable manner in the bore of the boss 20. This screen 81 serves to prevent substances from clog 'ng. the trunnion 18 when the closure mem er 76 is in the open position. The

sawdust serves for the purpose of cleaning the pelts, particularly the fur thereof, absorbs any remainin moisture, and removes flesh, if any on the s ins, as the drum 10 is in motion, and this constitutes the drumming and cleaning steps. In order to separate the sawdust from the pelts, which constitutes the caging operation, the doors 31 are moved to the fully opened positions, while the drum 10 is at a standstill, in the manner explained hereinbefore, whereupon the drum 10 is again put in motion. Consequently the sawdust will find its way through the screen sec tions 60 and out through the openings 30, the separated sawdust being carried from the machine in any suitable manner. The pelts are then removed from the machine finished and in condition for commercial purposes.

It is to be understood that a plurality of similar units or machines may be utilized, to which the hot air will be delivered from a single source, and the drums of which will be driven from a common source of power. In Figs. 7 and 8 two similar machines 82 and 83 are shown to which hot air is delivered by branch conduits 84 leading to a main supply conduit 85. The drums of the machines 82 and 83 are driven by power transmission means including pulleys 86 on the drum shafts 87. Each of the shafts 87 is also provided with a hand wheel 88 for the purpose of manually moving the drums. Sawdust is fed to the drums of the machine by the provision of a hopper 89 and spouts 90 below and in communication with the hopper 89. One of the spouts 90 serves in conjunction with each machine for discharging sawdust into its drum. These spouts may be moved manually or in any other manner to the discharging and non-discharging positions. The drum of each of the machines 82 and 83 is enclosed by a housing 91. The housing 91 of each machine and the drum of the machine are respectively provided with openings in which the discharge end of the related spout 90 is entered for the purpose of discharging the sawdust into the drum. The feeding of the sawdust is controlled by any preferred means operatingin conjunction with the spouts 90, such means being designated 92, which is manually operable. A suitable hopper 93 and cooperating conveyor 94 is arranged below the drum of each of the machines 82 and 83 for the purpose of carrying away the separated sawdust to any convenient point. Each housing 91 has a door 95 affording access to the machine arran ed therein for the purpose of introducing an removing the pelts.

I claim: 7

1. In a machine of the class described, an outer rotary drum having a circular wall with openings spaced equi-distantly, a foraminous drum arranged within and movable with said outer drum, said foraminous drum having an opening therein in alinement with one of the openin the openings in said wall of said outer drum,

a removable foraminous closure for the opening in said foraminous drum, doors respec tively controlling the openings in said wall of said outer drum, means to open and close said doors, and means to introduce hot air into the drums for the purpose of drying materials placed in said foraminous drum.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a cage to hold fur covered elts. a receptacle in w ich the cage is fixe 1y arranged, means mounting the receptacle for rotation, an arrangement of closures on the cage and receptacle, certain of which permit introduction of the pelts into-the cage and for removing the same therefrom, means for introducing granular absorbing material such as sawdust into said receptacle, the absorba ing material serving for the purpose of clean ing the pelts in the rotation of the cage and receptacle, the .arran ement of closures including a lurality o closures on the receptacle, whic may be 0 ened to allow the granular material which ecomes separated from the pelts to discharge from the receptacle in the rotation of the cage and receptacle, and means to open and close the closures on the receptacle.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a drum (provided with doors, means for guiding said oors, rotatory means on the drum connected with said doors to move said doors, and means to operate the rotatory means for the purpose of openin and closing said doors. 1

5. In a machine of the class described, of a drum provided with doors, means for uid- -ing said doors, rotatory means on the rum connected with said doors to move said doors, and means constitutin an attachment to the machine engageable with the rotatory means to impart rotatory movement thereto, for the purpose of opening and closin said doors, said last mentioned means also eing disengageable from said rotatory means to allow the latter to have relative movement.

. 6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a drum having a cylindrical wall having s aced openings therein, and arcuate doors or controlling said 0 enings respectively; means for iding sai doors, a set of rollers arrange circumferentially on each end of said drum, a ring rotatably supported by each set of rollers, and means connecting each door with said rings for movement therewith.

7. In a machine of the class described, the

supported by each set of rollers, means connectingheach door with said rings for movement t erewith, and arcuate gear racks respectively secured to said rings.

8. In a machine of the class described a rotar drum having a circular wall, an a circu ar screen within the drum spaced from and arranged concentrically relative to said wall, the opposite side edges of the screen bein fastened respectively to laterally .inwar ly extending circular portions respectively on the end walls of the drum to form a cage within the drum and also to present an annular space between said screen and the circular wall of the drum.

9. In a machine of the class described, a rotar drum havin a circular wall, and a circu ar screen within the drum spaced from and arranged concentrically relative to said gall, the opposite side edges of the screen em war ly extending circular portions respectively on the end walls of the drum to form a cage within the drum, said circular wall and screen having an arrangement of closures for the purpose of introducing materials into'said cage and for removing said materials therefrom.

10. In a machine of the class described, a rotary drum, a screen within the drum which fastened respectively to laterally in joins the end walls of the drum to form a cage within the drum, said drum and screen having an arrangement of openings and doors respectively controlling said openings, the door of said screen being removable and replaceable through one of the drum openings" said cylindrical wall, said screen havin an opening therein adjacent one of the oor openin s in said wall, and a removable door control ing the screen opening.

12. In a machine of the class described a rotary drum consisting of end sections an a cylindrical shell whose opposite ends are respectivel connected with said end sections, said shel having openings therein; a door having guided movement controlling each trollin the screen opening.

13. a machine of the class described, the combination of a drum provided with doors, means for guiding said doors, and rotatory means on the drum connected with said doors to move said doors to opened and closed positions.

HERMAN GABBE. 

